Eleanor

by Rachel Wesson

  “See. Exactly what I was thinking.”

  “So she’s met the Queen of England. I’m sure that’s relatively easy given she lived in England,” Paul Kelley said shrugging his shoulders.

  “No, it’s not actually, unless you are a member of the aristocracy,” Ellen said trying not to sound smug.

  “You mean the rumors are true, she is a real lady?” he asked.

  “Who’s been spreading rumors?” Ellen couldn’t believe someone was already spreading gossip about their new teacher. She’d only been in Clover Springs a couple of days.

  “Charlie Staunton. He reckons he is going to ask her out.”

  “Charlie Stanton and Miss Templeton. That is never going to happen.”

  Ellen followed Laura up the stairs carrying a tray of coffees. The thought of Charlie Staunton and Eleanor Templeton together making her laugh.

  To her surprise, Wilma was sitting up in bed, her hand clasped in Laura’s.

  “You got a wide smile on your face, Miss Ellen. So nice to see.”

  “I was just laughing at something Paul said,” Ellen explained turning to look at Laura. “Seems Charlie Staunton thinks he has a chance with Miss Templeton.”

  Laura burst out laughing. “Oh, I would love to see him try. He’ll get frostbite if she turns her cold voice on him.”

  “Who is this?”

  “Miss Eleanor Templeton, our new teacher. She’s ever so nice. A real lady.”

  “Laura’s not joking. She’s been presented to Queen Vitoria.”

  “What is she doing in Clover Springs?”

  “No idea, Wilma. She seems quite sad. In fact, if you were feeling better, we would be sending her to see you for one of your chats.”

  Ellen’s heart beat faster at the look of panic on Wilma’s face. What was wrong with her old friend? In the past, she would have been the first one to help a newcomer to their town. Now she looked terrified.

  “Don’t worry, Wilma, we won’t be bringing her or any other stranger here. Not until you are fully better. What’s this trip you are going on?” Ellen asked trying to get rid of the panic in Wilma’s eyes.

  Wilma’s expression turned guarded making Ellen and Laura exchange glances.

  “Mrs. Grey thinks it would do me good to take a trip, so we decided to go and see Denver. She says there is plenty to do there. We can stay in hotel and see some plays maybe even a circus.”

  “I thought you were supposed to be resting,” Laura chided gently.

  “I’ll rest long enough when I is dead,” Wilma replied sharply.

  Ellen caught the glisten of tears in Laura’s eyes before her friend turned her face. She looked back at Wilma seeing the sadness in hers. She’d never heard Wilma speak so harshly to anyone, least of all Laura. When would her friend be back to normal?

  Chapter 22

  The morning sun rose bright in the sky despite it only being March. Eleanor shivered as she got out of bed, her stomach swirling with excitement. She couldn’t wait to start teaching. Although she hadn’t been a governess long, she had loved the experience. Children were so open minded and in most cases very willing to learn once you found a way to interest them.

  She dressed quickly planning to have a cup of coffee and leave for the school. She wanted to make a good impression. But her landlady had other ideas. When she opened her bedroom door, the smell of frying bacon wafted its way up the stairs. Her stomach rumbled in response making her thankful nobody was standing nearby. She walked down the stairs carefully as they were a little steep. Mrs. Sullivan was standing by the stove, a skillet of bacon and eggs ready for serving.

  “Good morning, Miss Templeton. I thought you’d need a good breakfast before you take on that lot at school.”

  “Please call me Eleanor, and you make it sound as if I am off to war.”

  “No, not at all.” Martha Sullivan smiled. “War would be easier.”

  Eleanor giggled. It had been a long time since anyone cared for her welfare. As in really cared, not just done things because they were paid to do it as the servants in her father’s house had done.

  “What can I do to help?”

  “Nothing, dear. Do you mind eating in the kitchen? The other rooms are rather chilly.”

  “Not at all, it’s cozy in here.”

  “Take a seat then, dear, and pour us both a cup of coffee. Or do you prefer tea?”

  “Coffee is lovely, thank you. You are very kind to get up and do this.”

  “I am not being kind. I love being useful. At my age in life, when your children are grown, it gets, well, I guess you would call it lonesome. I love having some company. Female company that is.” Mrs. Sullivan’s cheeks turned pink making Eleanor see she must have been very pretty in her youth.

  “Thank you anyway. I was just going to have some coffee and run.”

  “Believe me, dear, you will be glad of a good breakfast. It will sustain you for the day ahead.”

  “Are they really that bad? Ellen and Laura seemed to think they were good children.”

  “I am only teasing you, dear. The majority of them are lovely. The one you need to watch is Bertram Shaw. His mother has him ruined.” Mrs. Sullivan crossed herself. “Best add that to my list of sins to confess, although I think Father Molloy will understand.”

  “He’s very different, isn’t he?” Eleanor saw the look of confusion on Mrs. Sullivan’s face. “The priest I mean.”

  “To what?”

  “Well, I’m not Catholic but we used to go to church sometimes and our vicar, well, he was rather sour. He never smiled or seemed happy about anything.”

  “Our Reverend Timmons is lovely and his wife is a real dear. But there is a priest who used to come to the town and let’s just say he could be your vicar’s brother. Father Molloy is special and we are lucky to have him.”

  “He was very kind to me,” Eleanor murmured.

  “Course he was. Aren’t you a lovely young lass. Why would anyone be anything but kind.”

  Eleanor looked at Mrs. Sullivan’s back as she dished the breakfast onto plates. If only her family had people in it like this woman, she wouldn’t be a million miles from home.

  She didn’t see anyone she recognized as she walked down the road. The people she did meet, smiled in greeting but kept walking. Pushing open the school house door, she saw Ellen had already arrived.

  “Morning, Miss Templeton.”

  “Please call me Eleanor, Ellen.”

  “I will but not in front of the children,” Ellen said with a smile on her face. “How are you feeling?”

  “Excited and a little nervous. Your friend Mrs. Sullivan cooked me a large breakfast.

  “Yes, you need to watch things with Martha. She will feed you up so much, your own mother won’t recognize you.”

  At the mention of her mother, Eleanor looked away. Where was her mother? Was she really dead or had that been a lie as well. Thankfully, Ellen was distracted by the arrival of some of the children.

  “Take your seats children, I want our new teacher to see how well behaved you all are.”

  “Yes, Miss Ellen,” they chorused.

  “Many of the children live at the orphanage and it was too cumbersome for them to remember to call me Mrs. Higgins at school and Miss Ellen at home. So we decided on Miss Ellen,” Ellen explained.

  “What do they call Laura?”

  “Miss Laura but that is because Laura refuses to answer to Mrs. Kelley. She has her reasons which will become apparent when you meet her in-laws. What would you like to be called?”

  “I think Miss Eleanor, if that is all right with you? I don’t like to be different.”

  Ironic really, given who she really was, but she wasn’t about to explain that to Ellen.

  “I will introduce you just as soon as they are all sitting down. They may ask you a few questions. Just answer the ones you want to and ignore the rest. Although I love living here, it is a small town and we rarely get to meet people from other places.”

&nb
sp; Eleanor nodded, her attention taken by the sheer numbers of children coming to school. How on earth would she mange all of them?

  “The older ones help so don’t look so worried you will be fine. We are here to help you settle in.”

  “Thank you for being so kind to me.”

  “My pleasure. I hope we will become good friends.” Ellen gave her arm a squeeze before going to help a small child take off her coat.

  Eleanor looked around at the classroom again. One boy was staring at her, almost rudely. She turned away from him hoping he would stop but when she glanced back, his gaze was still fixed on her.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked him, expecting him to redden or at least show some sign of embarrassment but he kept staring.

  “Bertram Shaw, Miss Eleanor asked you a question.”

  “I was just wondering was it true? What they said about her?”

  Eleanor gripped her hands together. They didn’t know anything. Despite the way he was staring at her.

  “Is what true may I ask?” She used her frostiest tone but it slid off him.

  “Are you really a lady? Did you live in a big castle and are you friends with the Prince of Wales?”

  “Yes, no, and my father was,” she said thinking as she was female, she was a lady despite not being a member of the aristocracy.

  His facial expression made it very difficult not to laugh. Ellen had to turn away, her shoulders shaking with laughter which didn’t help. But Eleanor was determined this boy was not going to ruin her first day at her new job.

  “Anything else?” she demanded as if addressing a servant in her father’s home.

  “No.”

  “No, what?” She glared at him until he looked down at his feet.

  “No, Miss Eleanor.”

  “Take a seat please and open your book.” Her tone brooked no argument and he sat down quietly. She looked over his head to see Ellen giving her the thumbs-up.

  Round one to her but she was convinced she hadn’t heard the last of Master Shaw.

  Chapter 22

  Wilma and Mrs. Grey stood at the station waiting for the train. They had refused all offers from people eager to see them off. They were nervous enough and didn’t want anyone commenting on how scared they seemed to be going on a vacation. The train arrived on time and they duly took their seats. There weren’t many people traveling and they had the entire car to themselves.

  “You should have seen the look on Doc’s face when I told him I was going on a trip.”

  “I knew he’d be upset. What did he say?” Wilma asked.

  “He reminded me Doc Erin was away.”

  “As if you could have forgotten that. But maybe he was right. We should have delayed our trip,” Wilma said, biting her lip.

  “Absolutely not. I told him in the sweetest voice I could find that he hadn’t always valued my services so highly.”

  Wilma burst out laughing. She knew Doc had once found Mrs. Grey to be bossy and irritating. She was still bossy but he knew she was usually right. She was a great organizer.

  “I suggested a vacation would give him time to value me properly.”

  Mrs. Grey looked so serious Wilma wasn’t sure she was joking.

  “But then I gave him the cake I’d asked Mrs. Higgins to make. You know what his stomach is like,” Mrs. Grey grinned at Wilma. “Emer reminded me how much he’d enjoyed all the cakes delivered when she was in his care that time she was supposed to be in prison.”

  “I nearly feel sorry for the poor doctor with you women scheming around him.”

  “Don’t waste your pity. He loves it. Anyway, Emer has promised to spoil him rotten until we get back. Mrs. Higgins said she wants to come the next time we go on vacation. I promised she could.”

  “Emer is an excellent nurse so Doc will be fine. So where are we going next time?”

  “I have no idea. We will throw a pin on a map and just go. Wouldn’t it be fun?” Mrs. Grey asked.

  Wilma didn’t answer. She wasn’t at all sure she was young and fit enough to enjoy what Mrs. Grey would view as fun.

  They settled back into their seats, trying to get comfortable each content with the silence between them. Sometime later, Wilma woke up. She stretched her neck, having a crick in it from lying in the wrong position.

  “Do you think we should have let Father Molloy accompany us? Denver is a big city.” Mrs. Grey asked as they watched the passing scenery through the window.

  “What you scared of? Father Molloy couldn’t help us if we got in trouble. He’s older than me.”

  “Yes, but he’s a man, Wilma.”

  “Hate to break it to you, Mrs. Grey, but I don’t think anyone will want to carry us off. Our virtue be safe.”

  Mrs. Grey stared at Wilma for a few seconds before she laughed.

  “That’s the first time in a long time you sounded like my friend Wilma. Welcome back.”

  Wilma smiled but inside her heart was beating really quickly. What would they find in Denver? What if her daughter was still alive but didn’t want to see her. Could she deal with that pain? But at least she would know.

  “Stop it right now.”

  “I ain’t doing nothing,” Wilma protested but Mrs. Grey was looking at her in her knowing way.

  “You are worrying about what might happen. You can’t do that. You’ve told us often enough, we can only deal with what we know right now.”

  “Stop lecturing me. You start doing that again, I is going home. You can go on this wild goose chase on your own.”

  Mrs. Grey clapped her hands, a giant smile on her face. “I knew you were in there somewhere. This is going to be fun, my friend. A few days away, just the two of us, is just the ticket we needed.”

  “Hmmm.” Wilma wasn’t convinced. What if this Eliza woman wouldn’t talk to Mrs. Grey because of her past? Weren’t many ex-slaves who associated with the daughters of plantation owners.

  “I know they may treat me with suspicion,” Mrs. Grey said smiling as if she read Wilma’s mind every day. “But we will deal with that if it happens. Now our train is here. Let’s enjoy ourselves too. It’s been a long time since I had a vacation.”

  The train journey passed relatively smoothly until another traveler entered the car, taking a seat near them. He kept staring over at the two of them but they did their best to ignore him. It didn’t work.

  He couldn’t keep his outrage hidden for long.

  “I do not believe the train company allows maids to travel in the first-class car.”

  “Can’t see why not. They let you travel in this car, don’t they? I assumed it was for ladies and gentlemen only but obviously not.”

  The man blustered but didn’t get a word in as Mrs. Grey continued speaking in a voice full of concern. “Where is this unfortunate maid you are so worried about?” Mrs. Grey looked around the car as if genuinely trying to locate a maid.

  Wilma wanted to laugh at the expression on the man’s face but she daren’t. She simply stared at him until he moved to another seat. Only then, did she and Mrs. Grey dissolve into a fit of giggles like two young school girls. Tears were running freely down their faces before they recovered their composure.

  “Oh, Lorena, I think you are right. We needed to get away from Clover Springs for a while.” Wilma didn’t notice she’d called Mrs. Grey by her first name.

  “You certainly did, my friend. You always take everyone else’s cares and woes on your shoulders. It’s time for you to look after yourself for a while.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Grey.”

  “For heaven’s sake, Wilma, will you call me Lorena. We are the best of friends. Aren’t we?”

  Wilma squeezed her friend’s hand, her voice having left her.

  Chapter 23

  Mrs. Grey had booked them a nice hotel not too far from where Eliza Jane lived. Wilma ignored the looks the receptionist gave her. She had the same right to stay in the hotel as anyone else. She adopted Alicia’s method of dismissing anyone who was rude by lo
oking down her nose at them. It made her smile inside to see their surprise at her reaction. If they thought they were going to ruin her day with their petty remarks or dirty looks, they were sadly mistaken.

  “I think we both should take a nap to get our energy back after that trip. I had forgotten how hard the seats in train cars are,” Lorena Grey suggested.

  Wilma guessed Mrs. Grey was trying to make sure she didn’t overdo it. Doc Erin had left strict instructions that Wilma was not to get involved in anything strenuous.

  “That sounds like a good idea. Will we meet down here at eight for dinner?”

  “Good plan. I hope you rest, my dear friend.”

  Wilma was sure she wouldn’t. Her mind was going over and over the last time she had seen her daughter. What would Eliza Jane know? Maybe she wouldn’t be able to help them at all. But if she was, what would she uncover. Poking at the past didn’t always result in good news. She knew that better than anyone. What if they found her daughter and she didn’t want to know? Would she be able to cope with the pain of rejection?

  Shoulders slumped, she walked into her room not noticing the beauty of her surroundings.

  “Can I get you anything, ma’am?” a pretty young maid asked.

  “No thank you. I am going to rest for a while.”

  “Good idea, traveling is hard on everyone.” The girl smiled as she left the room. Wilma stared at her, wondering if she was as happy as she seemed. Did she have a family close by? What was it like to work somewhere where the staff believed people like them were inferior? Funny how everyone had thought the Civil War would end prejudice. It hadn’t. In some ways, it had made it worse. She had met her fair share of Yankees who blamed her kind for the fact the war had been fought in the first place. If they hadn’t been slaves they wouldn’t have needed to fight. It wasn’t as if any of her people had woken up and decided they wanted to be enslaved. It wasn’t their fault but some white people just didn’t get that.

  She lay on the bed, her mind twirling so fast, she got dizzy. Maybe taking a walk would make her feel better. She got up again and put her shoes on. It was time to see a little bit of Denver. Mrs. Grey was sleeping so what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.